1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to visual aid apparatus adapted for mounting on motor vehicles and more particularly to that class utilizing optical systems to project a rearview into a viewing position, visually accessible to the operator of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art abounds with rearview mirrors for vehicles. U.S. Pat. No. 3,773,406 issued on Nov. 20, 1973 to J. D. Baumgardner, et al. teaches a rearview periscope system utilizing three mirrors, at least one of which is mounted within the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,857,632 issued on Dec. 31, 1974 to M. Yamashita, et al. discloses a periscope type rearview mirror apparatus piercing the roof top of the vehicle and providing an image on a mirror apparatus mounted within the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,569,576 issued on Oct. 2, 1951 to C. Ramme describes a periscope apparatus piercing through a portion of the roof of a motor vehicle, having a plurality of divergent rearwardly directed mirror elements whose received images are transmitted to the interior of the vehicle onto an eyepiece mirror for viewing by the operator of the vehicle.
All the aforementioned patents suffer the common deficiency of utilizing a periscope type apparatus which is centrally disposed along the midline of the vehicle, thereby limiting the width and the shape of the optical field, at the rear of the vehicle, to be viewed thereby.